Thorough ALTCS planning is also honest ALTCS planning

Elder law attorneys are sometimes unjustly accused of using ALTCS planning techniques to help wealthy people meet Medicaid qualifications. The truth is, however, that those with the financial means to pay for their own long-term health care should do so without the assistance of Arizona Medicaid. As a public benefit program, ALTCS/Medicaid is best reserved for those with not only a medical need, but also a genuine financial need for assistance. This doesn’t mean that applicants must be destitute before they apply for Arizona Medicaid, particularly when they need savings to provide for a well spouse. Rather, this means that ALTCS/Medicaid planning should be reserved for those who justifiably require the help of Arizona Medicaid.

Having the foresight to engage in thorough ALTCS planning should not be construed as abusing the system. Labels like abuse are better reserved for the likes of the Chicago physician who was recently convicted of defrauding Medicare and private insurers for somewhere between $13 million and $20 million. The New York Times reported the full story of how this doctor billed Medicare for more than 24 hours of work every day for an entire year to amass a small fortune of misappropriated funds. Clearly, it is this type of behavior, and not ALTCS planning, that qualifies as an abuse of the system.

Honest ALTCS planning is a means by which individuals can receive the health care they need without impoverishing their family in the process. A reputable Elder Law firm can make certain that those who apply for Arizona Medicaid avoid even the appearance of impropriety by complying with ALTCS eligibility rules. Abiding by these rules may set individuals on a path to ALTCS eligibility with as little delay possible. While ALTCS/Medicaid planning may not be for everybody, it provides a tremendous benefit to those who require its assistance.